Kay Hollow body electric Arch top 1950's- 1960's

Vintage Kay Hollow Body Electric Archtop | Late 1950s–Early 1960s | 2 Pickups | Sunburst | Chicago-Made | Project

A genuine Chicago-made Kay hollow-body electric archtop from the late 1950s to early 1960s. Single cutaway, two original single-coil pickups, 4-knob layout with selector switch, trapeze tailpiece, and a warm two-tone sunburst with cream binding and pickguard.

The good news: all electronics are fully functional — both pickups fire, all four knobs respond, and the selector switch works cleanly. The body is in solid vintage shape with a vivid sunburst finish intact.

The honest part: there are some dead frets that will need attention before this is truly gig-ready. A fret dress from a competent luthier will likely sort it out, though some spots may call for a partial refret. The headstock also has cosmetic veneer wear at the upper corner — documented clearly in photos. Priced to reflect both issues.

For a player who does their own setup work or doesn’t mind a luthier visit, this is a fantastic opportunity to get an all-original vintage American archtop at a fair price. These have a warm, slightly nasal single-coil tone that sits beautifully in blues, rockabilly, and early rock & roll.

Specs:

• Body: Single-cutaway hollow archtop

• Finish: Sunburst

• Pickups: 2x original Kay single-coil — fully functional

• Controls: 4 knobs + selector — all working

• Tailpiece: Trapeze

• Tuners: Original open-back strip tuners

• Origin: Chicago, IL, USA

• Era: Late 1950s–early 1960s

• Needs: Fret dress or partial refret

📍 Local pickup only.